This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-353144, filed Nov. 20, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus with a shake detection function that detects the camera shake state of a camera, performs level indication (display) of the shake state in accordance with the detection result, and starts photographing operation (exposure operation) in a small camera shake state, thus suppressing the influence of the shake.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various techniques for a photographing apparatus with a shake detection function that detects a camera shake state in photographing and reduces the influence of the camera shake have conventionally been disclosed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,081 discloses a photographing apparatus that executes shake detection/correction control by a shake CPU different from the main CPU, and inhibits the shift of the shake CPU and a shake sensor to a standby state when a shake correction mode is selected. By this processing, the technique enables regular use of a shake detection sensor output that requires certain time until it stabilizes after activation. This technique copes with, e.g., press down of the release button of a camera at one fling.
In the prior art, however, the photographing apparatus does not shift to the standby state. Even while the apparatus is not used, it keeps consuming a current of about several ten mA as long as the power SW of the camera is ON. To prevent such power consumption, the power SW must be frequently turned on/off, resulting in cumbersome manipulation.
To avoid current consumption of the photographing apparatus, it may also be conceivable to shift the shake system (shake CPU) to the standby state (STOP state) at the same time as the shift of a camera system other than the shake system to the standby state.
In this case, however, a shake sensor output cannot be managed, i.e., the shake state cannot be grasped. When a predetermined operation is to be done next under the control of the shake CPU, a long time is required to stabilize the shake detection sensor and shake detection system. This poses problems such that the use of the photographing apparatus cannot be quickly started.
The present invention has been made to overcome the conventional drawbacks, and has as its object to provide a photographing apparatus with a shake detection function that can instantaneously execute shake detection operation while suppressing current consumption in non-use.
According to a first aspect of the invention, in order to achieve the above object, there is provided a photographing apparatus with a shake detection function, comprising a shake detection sensor configured to detect a shake state of the photographing apparatus, a shake detection control unit configured to control shake detection operation in the shake detection sensor, a shake prevention function unit configured to prevent a shake of the photographing apparatus on the basis of a control output from the shake detection control unit, a photographing mode setting unit configured to set a first photographing mode that uses a function of the shake prevention function unit and a second photographing mode that does not use the function of the shake prevention function unit, a manipulation unit which is manipulated by a user of the photographing apparatus, a timepiece unit configured to measure a time elapsed after the manipulation unit is manipulated, and a standby shift unit configured to shift the photographing apparatus to a low-power consumption state on the basis of a timepiece output from the timepiece unit, the standby shift unit changing a time until shift to the low-power consumption state in accordance with a photographing mode set by the photographing mode setting unit.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a photographing apparatus with a shake detection function, comprising a shake detection sensor configured to detect a shake state of the photographing apparatus, a shake state determination unit configured to determine the shake state of the photographing apparatus on the basis of an output from the shake detection sensor, a manipulation unit which is manipulated by a user of the photographing apparatus, a timepiece unit configured to measure a time elapsed after the manipulation unit is manipulated, and a standby shift unit configured to shift the photographing apparatus to a low-power consumption mode on the basis of a timepiece output from the timepiece unit, the standby shift unit changing a time until shift of the photographing apparatus to the low-power consumption mode in accordance with a determination result of the shake state determination unit.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a photographing apparatus with a shake detection function, comprising shake detection unit for detecting a shake state of the photographing apparatus, shake prevention unit for preventing a shake of the photographing apparatus on the basis of an output from the shake detection unit, photographing mode setting unit for setting a first photographing mode in which the shake prevention unit is operated, and a second photographing mode in which the shake prevention unit is not operated, manipulation unit for being manipulated by a user of the photographing apparatus, and standby shift unit for shifting the photographing apparatus to a low-power consumption mode a predetermined time after the manipulation unit is manipulated, wherein the predetermined time is changed in accordance with a photographing mode set by the photographing mode setting unit, and a time in the first photographing mode is longer than a time in the second photographing mode.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a photographing apparatus with a shake detection function, comprising a shake detection sensor for detecting a shake state of the photographing apparatus, shake detection control unit for controlling shake detection operation in the shake detection sensor, shake prevention unit for preventing a shake of the photographing apparatus on the basis of a control output from the shake detection control unit, photographing apparatus control unit for controlling the whole photographing apparatus, photographing mode setting unit for setting a photographing mode in which photographing operation using a function of the shake prevention unit is performed, a manipulation key for being manipulated to perform photographing operation in the photographing apparatus, manipulation setting input unit, incorporated in the photographing apparatus control unit, for receiving inputs from the photographing mode setting unit and the manipulation key, first timepiece unit, incorporated in the photographing apparatus control unit, for measuring a time elapsed after input manipulation via the manipulation setting input unit, first operation state setting unit, incorporated in the photographing apparatus control unit, for determining whether to shift the photographing apparatus to a low-power consumption mode on the basis of manipulation setting information from the manipulation setting input unit and a timepiece output from the first timepiece unit, second operation state setting unit, incorporated in the shake detection control unit, for determining an operation state of the shake detection control unit on the basis of an instruction from the first operation state setting unit, and second timepiece unit, incorporated in the shake detection control unit, for measuring a time after the second operation state setting unit receives the instruction from the first operation state setting unit, wherein the first operation state setting unit determines whether to shift the photographing apparatus control unit to the low-power consumption mode on the basis of a timepiece result of the first timepiece unit, and the second operation state setting unit determines whether to shift the shake detection control unit to the low-power consumption mode on the basis of a timepiece result of the second timepiece unit.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a photographing apparatus with a shake detection function, comprising a shake detection sensor for detecting a shake state of the photographing apparatus, shake detection control unit for controlling shake detection operation in the shake detection sensor, shake prevention unit for preventing a shake of the photographing apparatus on the basis of a control output from the shake detection control unit, photographing apparatus control unit for controlling the whole photographing apparatus, photographing mode setting unit for setting a photographing mode in which photographing operation using a function of the shake prevention unit is performed, a manipulation key for being manipulated to perform photographing operation in the photographing apparatus, manipulation setting input unit, incorporated in the photographing apparatus control unit, for receiving inputs from the photographing mode setting unit and the manipulation key, first timepiece unit, incorporated in the photographing apparatus control unit, for measuring a time elapsed after input manipulation via the manipulation setting input unit, first operation state setting unit, incorporated in the photographing apparatus control unit, for determining whether to shift the photographing apparatus to a low-power consumption mode on the basis of manipulation setting information from the manipulation setting input unit and a timepiece output from the first timepiece unit, second operation state setting unit, incorporated in the shake detection control unit, for determining an operation state of the shake detection control unit on the basis of an instruction from the first operation state setting unit, and second timepiece unit, incorporated in the shake detection control unit, for measuring a time after the second operation state setting unit receives the instruction from the first operation state setting unit, wherein the first operation state setting unit determines whether to shift the photographing apparatus control unit to the low-power consumption mode on the basis of a timepiece result of the first timepiece unit, and the second operation state setting unit determines whether to stop the shake detection sensor on the basis of a timepiece result of the second timepiece unit.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.